A lobby is now calling on Parliament to reject the Chief Administrative Secretaries appointments made by President William Ruto on Thursday.
The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) in a statement on Friday said the move goes against the required austerity measures the Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition committed to during the campaigns and the needed interventions to reduce Kenya’s ballooning wage bill.
The President finally made the much-awaited nominations on Thursday after months of anxious wait by his allies.
The nominees, who were among the hundreds of candidates interviewed by the Public Service Commission will now face MPs for vetting to determine their suitability for the jobs.
The lobby has noted that an additional wage bill translates to a larger fiscal deficit requiring a country already in a debt crisis to borrow more.
“We call on Parliament to prioritize sustainable wage bill and access to services in place of funding appointments driven by political expediency,” the statement said.
The lobby has raised concern that the appointments come at a time when the government is reeling under an unsustainable public wage bill, coupled with an inability to provide essential government services to millions of Kenyans.
“We urge the government to lead the way in consolidating the economy for the good of all Kenyans, especially the vulnerable and marginalized in our midst, who live daily hoping for an improved quality of life,” they said.
They have further noted that the President flouted the two-third gender principle by nominating 13 women and 37 men adding that appointive positions do not face the same compliance hurdles as elective positions.